Improvement in attachments for ratlins



ttt-init tata @anni @fitte Letters Patent No. 110,476, dated December 27, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN ATTACHMENTS FOR RATLlNS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all persons to whom, these presents may come:

' Be it known that I, JOHN GALEF KnowL'roN, of Rockport, of the county of Essex and State of Massa'- chusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rigging for Navigable Vessels; and do hereby declare-the same to be fully described in the following specification and. represented in the accompanying drawing, of which- Figure 1 denotes ati-ont view of a shroud and ratlinv provided with my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section ofsuch.

The devices hereinafter described for connecting a ratlin and shroud of a ship or vessel may be termed a ratliu attachment.

The common `Inode of fastening a ratliu to a shroud -,is by what is termed a seizing which goes around the shroud and through an eye or loop in the ratlin. The seizing is constantly liable to become worn or chat'ed, or to' rot and break away, much to the annoyance of and danger to seamen.

In case ot' separation ofthe ratlin from the shroud when a seaman may be standing on the ratiin, he is in danger of falling from' the rigging to the deck, or, perhaps, overboard, many a mariner having either lost his life or been seriously injured by reason of breakage of a ratlin from a shroud.

1t has therefore been my purpose to obtain a certain and safe fastening or ratlin attachment, which may be thus described:

It consists, first, of a metallic, flexile, or elastic yoke or clasp, A, to extend around the shroud B, and to`be formed and to project therefrom in manner as represented.

Through the jaws a a oi this clasp a screw-bolt, G, is passed, and receives on its screw anut,'D.

The said bolt goes through a metallic thimble, E,

Varranged betweenl the jaws a a and within the eye or loop h of the ratlin F.

The clamp, lscrew-bolt, and nut serve to fasten the yoke to the shroud, and, with the thimble, answer to hold .the ratlin in connection with the yoke, and to prevent wear of the ratlin'by either the screw or yoke.

rlhe yoke also is advantageous in prevent-ing theV shroud from being chafed by spars or ropes.

Another advantage of my radin-attachment over the common mode'of securing a rat-tlin is that it admits of a more ready adjustment and iixatiou of the ratlin with respect to the shroud.

I make no claim to the ratlin attachment made as represented and described in A. S. Davidsons application for a patent, tiled in the Patent Otiice on April 14th, 1866, in which a'eam `and two yokes or clasps anda screw-bolt and uut are empbyed to compose such attachment.

My invention-.is mnclr simpler and involves the employment ot' a thimhle7 and the making of the ratlin with an eye to receive suoli thimble.v

In the Davidson attachment the ratlin has no eye,

- bpt is simply bent around the cam and held to it by the smaller claspor yoke.

The ratlin-eye is formed Vby bending the ratliu near its end iu the form oi' a loop and around the thiuxble, and fastening the end by a seizing, or interweaving the strands so as to complete the eye, as shown in the drawing; therefore, Y

That I claim as my invention is* My improved ratlin attachment as composed of the yoke or clasp A, the screw-holt C, the uut l), the thimhle E, and the eye made in the ratlin in manner as described or represented.

JOHN CALEF KNOWLTON.

\Vitnesses:

R. H, EDDY, J. It. SNOW. 

